Traffic Tangle: How to avoid catching the Chesapeake Bay Bridge blues over Labor Day weekend
BALTIMORE -- The Maryland Transportation Authority wants people to make travel plans ahead of their Labor Day holiday treks.
The state's roadways will be filled with people attempting to reach their beach bungalows and family meetup locations. There will likely be travel delays, particularly on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge during peak hours, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
Transportation officials anticipate that more than 350,000 vehicles will cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge between Sept. 1 and Sept. 4.
The best times to travel across the Bay Bridge this holiday period will be before 8 a.m. and after 10 p.m., according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
That time frame can fluctuate by an hour or two depending on the date of travel, transportation officials said.
- Thursday, August 31 – before 2 p.m. and after 8 p.m.
- Friday, September 1 – before 11 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
- Saturday, September 2 – before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Sunday, September 3 – before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Labor Day Monday, September 4 – before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 5 – before 7 a.m. and after 10 a.m.
Drivers who choose to travel at peak hours should expect significant delays when traffic volume exceeds lane capacity, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
Travelers should be aware that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge uses lane signals to indicate when lanes are open, closed, or preparing to close, transportation officials said.
- RED X: This means the lane is closed. Drivers must not enter or travel in any lane over which a RED X signal is shown.
- YELLOW X: This symbol means that drivers must prepare to vacate the lane beneath the YELLOW X signal and move to a lane with a DOWNWARD GREEN ARROW.
- DOWNWARD GREEN ARROW: This symbol means that motorists can drive in the lane beneath the GREEN ARROW signal.
People who plan to drive across or through Maryland could encounter toll fees. There are a variety of options that drivers can choose to pay for tolls—some that could even save them money.
The Maryland Transportation Authority is urging people to review their toll options before traveling.